Real Hope: Abundant LifeSample

Abundance Isn’t a Dirty Word

Living a life of abundance must be bigger than our bank accounts, success, celebrity, and personal achievements. The world places emphasis on external factors such as financial prosperity, luxurious possessions, social status, and the accumulation of worldly assets and pleasures. The focus is on satisfying one’s desires and fulfilling worldly aspirations. However, the worldly measure of abundance is a dangerous, unsatisfying, and unfulfilling trap that will always have you reaching for more. While we are being honest, life experience also teaches us that this abundance is fickle and temporary. Sure, it can bring temporary satisfaction, but it will not lead to lasting happiness or fulfillment.

To be blunt, Christians usually balk at the idea of using words like abundance, as they’ve been tainted by some looking to make a dodgy quid out of religion. However, living a life of abundance as referred to by Jesus in John 10 goes beyond material wealth and focuses on spiritual and eternal values – a deep connection with God, contentment, gratitude, and living in alignment with biblical principles. Abundance is seen as a result of a faithful relationship with God. This abundance is measured by the richness of our relationship with God and others, the overflow of our hearts, and the fruits of the Spirit. True abundance is to seek fulfillment in God and His eternal treasures over temporary worldly gains and possessions.

The world will measure your abundance through your external achievements and possessions, but we must measure our abundance by the state of our hearts – the internal transformation through faith and obedience stemming from a growing relationship with God.

Written by AARON WRIGHT